For US Fans Still Attending "Home" Matches

For the few US fans who still attend MNT matches, I suggest you stop going. It's clear the USSF doesn't care about the fanbase at all anymore and all you're doing is making them wealthier. Let other countries be the home team when the US plays in the USA.

You're not under any obligation to continue financially supporting the worthless leadership of this federation.

Let's start by no longer letting Mexico play friendlies in the US. As I understand it, the USSF has to sign off every time two other teams play a game on US soil. Why are we continuing to allow them to build their brand on our soil?

After last night, I'm pissed I shelled out a couple hundred bucks for Tuesday night where half the team is leaving and a lot of poor players will be on display. I haven't seen the squad Uruguay is bringing yet but if they are close to full strength the way Mexico was, it will be another ugly game. But, I already paid my money so I'm gonna go and hope for a Uruguay B-team content to just get a run out. That and in some towns if you don't go see any US game you get, you may never get to see them at home for many, many years.

Let's start by no longer letting Mexico play friendlies in the US. As I understand it, the USSF has to sign off every time two other teams play a game on US soil. Why are we continuing to allow them to build their brand on our soil?

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Well...………………...that's obvious. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

And frankly, I don't have a problem with that. There's nothing wrong with challenging the players in a hostile atmosphere. You can play an away game
without having travel to Buenos Aires.

The USMNT could have scheduled Guatemala last night, played in Columbus, won 4-0, and everybody would have been happy. Instead they schedule a tough game. Its fine. Players, particularly young players, learn from failure.

We're obviously in transition. Folks were thrilled to throw out the last batch of players and coaching staffs. Its going to take time. I personally, am enjoying the rebuild. So I'm paying a lot of attention to youth teams, many of whom are playing very well. The U17s beat just beat Holland and Mexico in the last couple of days.

And frankly, I don't have a problem with that. There's nothing wrong with challenging the players in a hostile atmosphere. You can play an away game
without having travel to Buenos Aires.

The USMNT could have scheduled Guatemala last night, played in Columbus, won 4-0, and everybody would have been happy. Instead they schedule a tough game. Its fine. Players, particularly young players, learn from failure.

We're obviously in transition. Folks were thrilled to throw out the last batch of players and coaching staffs. Its going to take time. I personally, am enjoying the rebuild. So I'm paying a lot of attention to youth teams, many of whom are playing very well. The U17s beat just beat Holland and Mexico in the last couple of days.

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I'm not even talking about US-Mexico games. I'm saying, stop allowing Mexico to play friendlies against 3rd countries in the US. We don't need the money that badly.

I'm not even talking about US-Mexico games. I'm saying, stop allowing Mexico to play friendlies against 3rd countries in the US. We don't need the money that badly.

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Yeah...………..but SUM profits from those games.

What is SUM? Who is SUM? Its the US soccer establishment.

I personally don't see that as an issue. Let's worry about ourselves. Cuz we got enough to worry about there. If its not Mexico playing in the US, its somebody else. It's Brazil or Argentina or whomever.

Staff Member

And frankly, I don't have a problem with that. There's nothing wrong with challenging the players in a hostile atmosphere. You can play an away game
without having travel to Buenos Aires.

The USMNT could have scheduled Guatemala last night, played in Columbus, won 4-0, and everybody would have been happy. Instead they schedule a tough game. Its fine. Players, particularly young players, learn from failure.

We're obviously in transition. Folks were thrilled to throw out the last batch of players and coaching staffs. Its going to take time. I personally, am enjoying the rebuild. So I'm paying a lot of attention to youth teams, many of whom are playing very well. The U17s beat just beat Holland and Mexico in the last couple of days.

You would also have to stop other countries from doing it, otherwise you open your self to a lawsuit for picking on a particular country for no reason other than jealousy.

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I see no reason why the USSF would prevent any friendlies in the US, but to follow it through …..

I think the USSF actually preventing any two NTs teams from playing a friendly in the US, if challenged in court, would lose. It may be FIFA policy, but most certainly not written anywhere in the actual law of the land. Smacks of monopoly. I bet FIFA would back down on that policy real quick on trying to enforce that or sanction the US for "government interference". Those corrupt bastards who replaced the last group of corrupt bastards certainly do not want our DOJ up the their ass again.

I see no reason why the USSF would prevent any friendlies in the US, but to follow it through …..

I think the USSF actually preventing any two NTs teams from playing a friendly in the US, if challenged in court, would lose. It may be FIFA policy, but most certainly not written anywhere in the actual law of the land. Smacks of monopoly. I bet FIFA would back down on that policy real quick on trying to enforce that or sanction the US for "government interference". Those corrupt bastards who replaced the last group of corrupt bastards certainly do not want our DOJ up the their ass again.

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I doubt any FIFA law would apply, it would be all us law based on discrimination.

But if ussf tried to use FIFA standards.

The only reason the ussf could stop it would be by FIFA rules, so that is a contract, USA law gives contracts a lot of power.

But why does Mexico want to play in the US so much? I think it's pretty damn odd that they haven't played a game in Mexico since Tata has been the coach. The answer is probably money, but I'd honestly like to learn why.

But why does Mexico want to play in the US so much? I think it's pretty damn odd that they haven't played a game in Mexico since Tata has been the coach. The answer is probably money, but I'd honestly like to learn why.

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If I were Mexico I would not want to play in the smog of Mexico City.
Chivas stadium is usually empty and has a sterile feel to it.
Monterrey's Stadiums seem cool and provide fun atmospheres but the local fans would get bored getting too many matches
That leaves the USA with many Mexican fans and many markets to go to,

But why does Mexico want to play in the US so much? I think it's pretty damn odd that they haven't played a game in Mexico since Tata has been the coach. The answer is probably money, but I'd honestly like to learn why.

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You said the answer....................$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.
This is a meticulous, long term marketing strategy that's clearly a huge success. They've partnered with SUM, which is basically MLS, and therefore the USSF to do so. Make no mistake. The US soccer establishment doesn't line its pockets on US games. They line their pockets on Mexico games.

But why does Mexico want to play in the US so much? I think it's pretty damn odd that they haven't played a game in Mexico since Tata has been the coach. The answer is probably money, but I'd honestly like to learn why.

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Really, you don't know why?, it's all about $$$$$, trust me, we don't want Mexico to play so much in US either, but $$$$ rules all.

We would prefer all matches against Euro competition IN Europe. More sporting value but 0 money so here we are.

Sure enough SUM is going to continue to promote El Tri matches in our land, however there can be the concept of fewer matches for the Mexican Federation. We know that scarcity breeds power, we also know that the demand for El Tri tickets is so commanding in the U.S. then the fewer times El Tri plays here the higher a premium is on the now rarer El Tri match. SUM can actually raise their ticket prices. Since we all also know the El Tri die hard will pay whatever it takes to get inside the stadium to see their team, such is the draw that team has, selling tickets to even one off friendlies is an easy task.
In this way, SUM can generate the same amount of cash flow and sponsor dollars they currently enjoy and yet have fewer number of El Tri matches in our land. Which I would like to think for any of us U.S.A. junkies, seeing the Mexican Fed, their team and their players enjoy themselves less here in our nation would be no skin off our nose.

I can't pretend to understand the corporate structure of SUM v. USSF, but assuming they're basically the same, what this illustrates to me is the ongoing rise of the argument that profits trump (reference intended) all other objectives and values. Here, the USSF would give up some profit, and not a trivial amount, if they forewent having Mexico games in the US. But this would have some positive effects for the development of US Soccer: it would limit the ability of people in the US to follow the Mex NT and frankly that's fine with me. You want to support a foreign country, you are free to travel there. It might also limit the development of the Mexican NT to an extent insofar as it would force them to have friendlies in Mexico or abroad, which would probably mean less opportunities, perhaps fewer or lower quality opponents, etc.

There is a pretty decent counterargument worth highlighting: Maybe the effect of Mexico friendlies in the US is actually marginal to the success of the Mex NT or their fanbase here. This is a factual question and the above is an assertion that seems intuitive to me, but is in any event counterfactual so it's hard to verify.

But assuming the assertions are true, then here we have another example of a corporation basically saying "What we're doing fcuks shite up and may even undermine our aims, but we're raking it in, and that's the most important thing." Maybe this is something all people say as they get older but it seems to me that more and more all people give a shit about is money, not integrity, so I have zero faith that USSF is going to change this policy even if it were demonstrably true that the policy was harmful to the USMNT and its fan base.

Does anyone know how gate receipts are divided between USSF and SUM? If it goes into the general pool, I think that almost all of it goes to MLS. I think that the first $30m annually goes to USSF (similar to a debt liability) and Mosul everything above it to MLS (the equity position). Anyone have better color?

Does anyone know how gate receipts are divided between USSF and SUM? If it goes into the general pool, I think that almost all of it goes to MLS. I think that the first $30m annually goes to USSF (similar to a debt liability) and Mosul everything above it to MLS (the equity position). Anyone have better color?

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I'm not sure what your asking about, how USSF and SUM split revenues for US games or how SUM and Mexico split revenues for Mexican exhibition names?

Could you explain how SUM’s relationship with the Mexican Federation differs from its relationship with U.S. Soccer?

Under the U.S. Soccer Agreement, SUM sells broadcast rights and sponsorships for the federation. SUM does not promote any U.S. Soccer matches (friendlies or qualifiers).

Under the Mexican Football Federation Agreement, SUM promotes friendly matches played in the United States and sells sponsorship, but not broadcast rights, for the Mexican federation in the United States.

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This gives some numbers for both revenues and expenses direct to USSF from friendlies (the expenses numbers are consistent with the USSF doing it themselves)

Revenue from international games played in the United States: $5.2 million

This is self-explanatory, and also somewhat controversial for a portion of the American soccer community. USSF gets a cut of revenue from all international soccer games that are played in the United States, whether exhibitions or games of consequence, as a condition of allowing the games to take place.